Lamar County supervisors held a 2½-hour hearing Tuesday on an assisted-living facility proposed near Lake Serene that the planning commission had previously turned down.

Chance Evans wants to build the 45-bed assisted-living facility on property he owns near Mackerel Drive.

"Lamar County needs the facility," Evans told the supervisors. "I've been trying for over a year to get the site ready.

"Every day that goes by is another day we march closer to needing (long-term) care. Lamar County does need this facility."

Evans estimated construction would take about 12 to 18 months, and the facility would employ 12 to 20 people. He said the cost of construction would be more than $6 million.

Lake Serene resident Dennis Webster spoke out against the construction and commercial traffic the development would produce.

"Mackerel Drive is one of two access roads to Lake Serene," he said. "It's residential access to the north lake community. The rural and residential nature of that community is something we're concerned about.

"We would be interested in masking or buffering the commercial development so noise and traffic did not disturb the residential neighborhood. It is not appropriate this deep into our residential neighborhood to be instituting commercial ingress and egress."

Webster handed the supervisors a petition with 200 signatures of residents of the Lake Serene Property Association and the nearby High Point Property Association.

Some residents, like Fleetwood Loustalot, suggested Evans build a new road to link up with the more industrialized Power Lane Road, located in an existing commercial development. But then Evans would have the additional cost of constructing the new road as well as having to gain access to property he does not own.

"I'm for anything that would develop Lamar County," Loustalot said. "But if there is a way to move it to Power Lane, that's what most of the people who live around me would prefer to keep our residential area. We don't want a lot of traffic coming in on Mackerel Drive."

District 2 Supervisor Warren Byrd found the residents' complaints unreasonable, especially because the land is zoned for commercial use.

"I understand what you all are asking, but I've got to make a decision," he said. "Today or next week, something's going to be developed there based on the zoning. This is a pretty good option compared to what could be there."

Resident David Foy was in favor of the assisted-living home, saying other construction could cause more traffic.

"If 10 homes were built on this property, there would be more traffic than an assisted-living facility," he said. "The other possible buildings and facilities that could be built would not be the type I would like outside my back door."

Glyness Keith also spoke in favor of the facility.

"This would be an asset to the community," he said. "When I moved out there, Mackerel Drive was a dirt road, and one or two cars would come by. Now, in no time, 45 cars come by.

"I don't think there would be any more traffic. We already have a lot of traffic."

District 5 Supervisor Dale Lucus got a bit cross with the residents who were opposed to the construction.

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Dale Lucus(Photo: File photo/Hattiesburg American)

"My question to the people who signed the petition is, if the board denies the project and you get another commercial project like a skating rink — something that's noisy and has a lot of kids — my whole position today is to put yourself in that position and see why they are for an assisted-living instead of another facility."

Lucus' comments did not sit well with Webster.

"Your planning commission and 200 residents are asking you to see that there is an alternative that works," he said. "Threatening us with (something like) an adult bookstore is not going to make us any happier."

District 1 Supervisor Steve Lampton made the motion to disapprove the recommendation of the planning commission and Byrd seconded. The supervisors approved the motion 4-1, with District 4 Supervisor Phillip Carlisle casting the lone no vote. The facility is in his district.